Ark's next expansion will contain underground biomes and chest-bursting critters

There's no atmosphere and the sun is radioactive in "Aberration", the second batch of DLC coming to Ark in October.

Ark: Survival Evolved, in addition to launching from Early Access this week, announced a $45 season pass, which includes the Scorched Earth DLC as well as two unannounced expansions. We've now learned a bit about one of those expansions, called Aberration, which is set to arrive in October of this year. There's a trailer above.

The Ark (planet) in Aberration isn't quite as friendly to organic lifeforms as the one we're used to. The atmosphere has bled from the Ark and the sun is highly radioactive, meaning if you're going to thrive and survive it'll have to be underground in caves (at least until you've crafted some protective gear, we assume). Those caves, at least, look pretty.

Added to the mix are ziplines and wingsuits for traveling over pits and chasms, new weapons and armor, new items to craft, and of course a host of new creatures:

"Clamber up walls & glide through the air on the back of a camouflaging chameleon-like ‘Rock Drake’, keep the dark at bay with a friendly ‘Lantern Pug’, or grab and toss multiple creatures simultaneously with a massive ‘Cave Crustacean’, or -- if you are talented enough to tame one -- command the vile ‘Nameless Queen’ to impregnate your foes with a horrifying reproductive chest-burster!"

So instead of a prehistoric world filled with dinosaurs it's a bit more of an alien planet vibe filled with, y'know, aliens. Aberration will be priced at $20 standalone, or is included if you've bought the season pass. Have a look at some screens below.